Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 237

For the next few days, the adventurers search the city desperately, but the results are not promising. It seems that the magician in question is keeping his distance from our company, especially as the level of caution increases, and there is no particular information coming in from the people on Leather Street.

Since we haven’t caught the magician, I am not allowed to leave the office. I sleep in my office with the windows closed, two guards from the Sword Fangs Legion standing watch at the entrance. Occasionally, I wave a stick around to ensure no one is lurking nearby.

I have a lot of paperwork piled up, so I try to tackle it at my desk, but it’s hard to work with just the light of a lantern. I can hear the sounds of the craftsmen working in the morning, and their noise fades in the evening through the walls, giving me a sense of day and night. However, being stuck in the dark is gradually making me feel depressed. It feels like I’m hiding in an underground labyrinth or hibernating for winter. Still, this is a much better environment than that.

“Sara, you can go outside. It’s not healthy to stay cooped up in your room all the time.”

I say, noting that not just I, but Sara is also holed up in the office. She doesn’t need to stay with me and risk her health, but she shakes her head in denial.

“I can’t leave Kenji alone; I don’t know what kind of magic is still affecting you.” She says that and doesn’t let go.

“Even so… if I’m being controlled by magic and end up harming you, what will you do then?” I try to threaten her, but she simply replies, “Well, we’ll deal with it when it happens.”

To be honest, I think the likelihood of me still being under the influence of magic is low.

At that time, I felt I was under a kind of magic that distorts my perception, but the magician wouldn’t have had the time or need to cast multiple spells simultaneously.

Since high-level magic requires expensive catalysts, magicians tend to use only the minimum amount of magic necessary to achieve their goals. Therefore, it seems unlikely that multiple spells have been cast on me.

However, this is based on my experience with impoverished adventurer magicians, and skilled magicians hired by high nobles might operate under different principles.

Nonetheless, I feel that the magician’s methods suggest a professional air of rationality—aiming for results with minimal effort and risk. Thus, it seems reasonable to assume they act logically.

But it is about time for something to happen.

◇　◇　◇　◇　◇

That night, I am awakened by a quiet knock on the door of the office.

I had been writing at my desk, but it seems I have dozed off at some point.

The door is locked from the inside, so it can’t be opened from the outside.

“Who is it?” I approach the door and ask, and a voice replies, “It’s Kiriku.”

Just to be safe, Sara and I open the door and draw our daggers, ready for a fight if necessary. I don’t think Kiriku is being controlled, but we’re following protocol.

Kiriku doesn’t change his expression when he sees us like that and continues. “The Captain has arrived. It seems urgent.”

Finally, he comes.

I feel my face naturally break into a smile.